To the Editor: Patrì et al1 recently reported that sexual transmission might be a new possible route of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and they strongly suggested that physicians, especially dermatologists, dissuade people from having sex during the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19.
Saliva and feces may both carry SARS-CoV-2. Glandular cells of oral mucosa and rectal epithelia express angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2). SARS-CoV-2 enters cells by binding with ACE2.
Fan et al2 reported high messenger RNA expression level of ACE2 in the urinary tract, prostate, testis, endometrium, and ovary, which indicates that these human tissues could be a potential target of SARS-CoV-2. However the question of viable SARS-CoV-2 in semen or testis remains unanswered.
Sex and reproduction are primal human drives and calling on physicians to dissuade people from having sex during the pandemic may be a bit radical. Until more data are available, it may be best to focus on general guidelines regarding social distancing.
Footnotes
Funding sources: None.
Conflicts of interest: None disclosed.
IRB approval status: Not applicable.
Reprints not available from the authors.
References
- 1.Patrì A., Gallo L., Guarino M., Fabbrocini G. Sexual transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A new possible route of infection? J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(6):e227. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.03.098. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Fan C., Li K., Ding Y.H., Lu W.L., Wang J.Q. ACE2 expression in kidney and testis may cause kidney and testis damage after 2019-nCoV infection. medRxiv. 2020 doi: 10.1101/2020.02.12.20022418. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]